In the second blog in our new series, Princess talks about the importance of reflecting on what you learnt about how you learn at secondary school.
 

Tip #1- know where you’ve come from and where you are going

Some of you will have come from secondary schools that are very different to LAE academically, you might have self-taught yourself a lot of your GCSE content using textbooks and YouTube videos, which was probably a difficult experience for you. Some of you may have had a lot more support from your school, similar to life at LAE, and that must have made your journey a bit easier. But no matter what secondary school you went to or how well equipped you feel for year 12, sixth form is a new opportunity for success. If you enrol at LAE, you’re going to a school that has seen so many students like you reach and surpass academic expectations and go on to achieve great things.

So, understand what you found hard during secondary school and think about what you want to do differently in year 12. You can write this down in a diary or a document on your phone and set your goals which you can always refer to. Then, find out more about the subjects you want to study at LAE, such as what your exam specification is [available here], and this can help you get a feel for the topics before you begin in September.

Briefly exploring the subject before you start in year 12 can help you to calm your nerves when you see that many topics link to GCSE concepts. It can also help you explore potential career paths or university degrees that you may be interested in so, if you can, try to spend some time thinking that far ahead too.